MAXIMIZING THE VALUE OF OFFSHORE SPACE: Using the Gulf Aquamapper and Geoplanner for Aquaculture Site Selection in the Gulf of Mexico  

Open ocean aquaculture represents a new frontier for seafood production and promises to allow large-scale food production compatible with other ocean uses. Developing multi-use sites and co-siting of offshore activities has long challenged coastal managers to balance stakeholder interests and conservation priorities. Multi-use concepts in the Gulf of Mexico already include commercial fishing and shipping; recreational fishing and artificial reefs (e.g., retired oil and gas platforms); and conservation coupled with research and tourism. The Gulf AquaMapper was developed to provide useful screening and visualization of offshore aquaculture sites to assess the potential for aquaculture, minimize user conflicts, and avoid adverse environmental impacts of marine fish farming systems. Importantly, consideration and assessment of potential multi-user group benefits (co-siting) can substantially impact economic and logistical considerations for final site selection of offshore aquaculture operations. At sites with a high commercial aquaculture potential, we used proximity analysis to compare sites and evaluate compatibility with other ocean uses (oil and gas platforms). We evaluated economic and operational efficiencies for aquaculture options at offshore locations requiring supplies and workers to travel more than 20 miles offshore.  Probability analysis for commercial and passenger vessel density was examined to determine if vessels that frequently travel within five miles of a selected site, could offer cost savings and improve operating efficiencies. Lastly, we utilized GeoPlanner, a new ESRI software product, in combination with the Gulf AquaMapper to develop weighted spatial and economic models to evaluate risk and opportunity regarding planning, scoping, and authorization of offshore aquaculture development.